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If you told me a year and a half ago that I wouldn’t have just one, but two vegan cakes on the site, and that I liked them so that I honestly question from time to time why any cakes have any eggs in them, ever, I’d have thought you lost your mind. Let me explain: I know there are amazing and delicious vegan cakes in the world, but I believed I’d need flax eggs or the liquid from a can of chickpeas or some other magic to pull them off; I figured I’d leave it to the experts. Plus, I suspect my devotion to butter and buttermilk is well-established by now.

But that was before I learned about Wacky Cakes, a.k.a. Depression Cakes or Cockeyed Cakes, if you’re a Peg Bracken fan, which of course, everyone should be. They typically have about 7 completely basic, everyday ingredients and they’re usually chocolate-flavored, but never enough for me. So in my version, I used a higher proportion of cocoa powder and olive oil, whose fruitiness is exceptionally cozy with chocolate. The cake is so good, we recently found in the fridge a chunk of the one I made in late November (five weeks later) and my husband refused to let me throw it away, taking his life in his hands to eat it right then and there. If you’ve made it, maybe you understand.

Not a chocolate fan? Today is your day. This long overdue version (with only 6 ingredients, what a showoff) might be — don’t tell the chocolate fiends in your life — even better. I made it with coconut oil and coconut milk, which together provide a subtle coconut flavor and rich, plushness to the cake I thought heretofore impossible in any cake, vegan or other. Forget a month; this cake isn’t going to survive this long weekend.

Plush Coconut Cake

This, as written, is fantastic everyday or snack cake with a simple glaze and [updated to note] a mild coconut flavor, but I could totally see it getting ready for a party as a two-layer cake. I bet it would be a gorgeous confetti cake, too. If you’re not deeply into coconut, use a flavorless oil or vegan butter instead of coconut oil and then soy, almond, or oat milk instead of canned coconut milk to give you a more neutral launchpad for other flavor combinations. I can’t wait to see what you come up with.

Note: A 13.5-ounce can of coconut milk will have about 3 tablespoons more than you need for this recipe. Reserve it make the glaze.

2 cups plus 3 tablespoons (285 grams) all-purpose flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt

1 cup (200 grams) granulated sugar

1/2 cup (110 grams) coconut oil, warmed just enough to liquefy

1 1/2 cups full- or low-fat coconut milk (see Note)

1 tablespoon (15 ml) plain vinegar

Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Line the bottom of 9-inch round cake pan with a fitted round of parchment paper and coat the bottoms and sides with nonstick cooking spray.

Whisk together flour, baking soda, salt and granulated sugar in the bottom of a large mixing bowl. Add coconut oil, coconut milk, and vinegar and whisk until batter is smooth.

Pour into prepared pan. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes [updated to note: it’s sounding in the comments like it’s taking some people a bit longer — it’s not done until the center is set, even if it’s longer than it took me], or until the top is springy and a tester inserted in the center comes out batter-free. Cool the cake in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes, then cut around it with a knife to ensure it is loosened and flip it out onto a cooling rack to cool the rest of the way.

If you wish to make a glaze: Whisk together 3/4 cup powdered sugar with 1 to 2 tablespoons of the leftover coconut milk, adding a little at a time, until it is smooth but not too runny. Add a pinch of salt, if you wish. Once cake is fully cool, spread over the top of the cake and smooth to the edges with a knife or small offset spatula, where it will find its way down the sides decoratively on its own. I added some white confetti sprinkles, but toasted coconut chips would be nice here too.

I was wondering this too, and then I remembered that when they’re warm those cans are all melty and combined, so that would be my solution, I think. Maybe warming it up in a barely-warm oven or hot water on the stove? [I am obviously not Deb though, she probably knows a better way]

This is brilliant Chelsea! Simple and works great, no idea why I never thought of it. I put the can on top of my hot air vent about 30 minutes before baking, then just gave it a good shake before opening it. Perfectly mixed. Thanks!

I was so excited to make this cake. I pulled it from the oven and there was the smell..the overwhelming smell of to much baking soda. However I only used what the recipe called for? The flavor overpowered the cake. What happened?

Everyone should know the great Peg Bracken – My mom had me “help” at age 6 by reading aloud the recipes as she’d cook from her books back in the ‘60s – probably explains my early love for both reading and cooking! And her recipes stand the test of time!!

I made this cake twice: once with light coconut milk and added coconut extract and once with whole fat coconut milk and almond extract. They were both very tasty but the second version was definitely richer and delicious!

In my experience, only Bob’s GF 1:1 Baking Flour is a good substitute in any recipe (much better than King Arthur’s AP GF flour). Bob’s All-Purpose GF flour is mainly garbanzo and is an awful substitute in most recipes.

Hi Deb, this seems similar to the vegan lemon tender cake in Nigella’s new book At My Table. It is awesome too and so easy to make. She tops hers with lightly sweetened coconut yogurt and a blueberry compote. A stunner and delicious

So excited to make this, maybe tonight. I will try it as written first, but then I was thinking of lime-ing it up? Maybe some zest in the cake and juice in the glaze? Something about this miserable NYC winter has me craving tropical drinks!!

It’s in the oven! I measured the coconut oil directly into the half cup measuring cup on the tared scale. 110 grams was way over the top, but I went with the gram measure. We’ll see what happens! I really want a good vegan cake recipe to fall back on!

I’d be worried that with no binder at all (egg usually does this job in cakes; wacky cakes usually depend on gluten or, if using a Gluten Free Flour Mix, the gums in that), it’d fall apart into crumbs and/or not rise. But however it comes out, it’d probably still be tasty! Just possibly not exactly a cake.

Coconut flour tends to absorb liquid. Most baked good recipes using coconut flour tend to have a lower ratio of flour to liquid (and a large part of that liquid includes multiple eggs). You could try substituting coconut flour for the flour in this recipe but it may or may not work . . . I have made variations of wacky cake recipes using a mix of GF flours and that has worked great.

I made it with Pamela’s all purpose GF flour and it came out great. I would definitely NOT use all coconut flour for the reason Helen mentioned. Coconut flour is very hard to work with, you could try using maybe 1/4 coconut flour, 3/4 GF flour blend containing guar gum or xanthan gum, and increase the amount of coconut milk. Substituting fine ground almond flour for up to half of the all purpose GF flour would work and add additional flavor and protein.

Looks so good! Adding it to my list of things to try. ;) Plus so helpful when friends who are vegan come over for a treat! I used to make a cake like this long ago using vinegar, but haven’t for years — I love the simplicity of it!

Okay, I got excited and made this immediately, but it didn’t rise nearly as well as yours, and then when it cooled, and we sliced it up for tea time, we realized it was very dough-y. I’m guessing it probably just didn’t bake long enough (I went the full 30 minutes and a little more and a cake tester came out clean), but I’m not sure if that’s the only problem. Reluctant to try again and not sure I can rescue this one…should I just eat it, half-baked?

I’ve made more than a hundred of your recipes with only a couple of fails, so I’m guessing it’s me and not you, but I’d love any thoughts.

I had the same problem. Tastes more flour-y than coconut-y, but I used a 9-inch square pan than a round one. Maybe that matters? I love Deb’s recipes and I’m new to baking, so it’s very likely user error on my part.

I had the same issue, and I definitely baked it fully as well! I used full-fat coconut milk — I wonder if using light coconut milk would make it less gummy and dense at the bottom? The cake also felt extremely oily in general — I wonder if it would work to replace half the oil with water or coconut milk, in addition to using light coconut milk. I really want to try it again, because I love the idea of a quick and easy vegan cake!

I had the same problem! When the cake cooled the center sank in and looked like it hadn’t cooked at all, yet the edges were dark golden. I measured a half cup of coconut oil rather than weighing it. I wonder if it’s too much oil? It was incredible easy to make, and delicious once I cut out the center. I’d be willing to give it another go.

For the chocolate olive oil cake, you noted that cakes that sank might have too much baking soda, and suggested decreasing the amount from 1 1/2 teaspoons to 1 teaspoon. Suggest that decreasing the baking soda here might work as well.

I had similar results to those in this thread. I weighed all my ingredients, using whole fat coconut milk. Baked 30 minutes and cake tester came out clean. Once cool and cut, the center was very dense. My guess is I need new baking soda.
FYI: The glaze is great and I sprinkled it with toasted coconut.

My recipe for depression cake uses baking soda and baking powder and has slightly different ratios of everything and seems to work perfectly for everyone who’s used it. doesn’t necessarily mean it’s gonna fix this issue, but here it is (not adjusted for coconut)

Made this morning and we are just waiting for it to cool before tasting it! We are at 500m though, and I am curious what adjustments for altitude I should be making? Maybe that is why my cakes always take longer? Do I need to bake longer or hotter? Thank you.

I had the same problem. After 35 minutes it was nearly burnt and while the tester came out clean it sunk immediately and was too gummy to eat. It leaves a weird oily coat on the teeth too. I actually had to throw the whole thing out. I’m in Boston so altitude is definitely not an issue. Sorry Deb – I’ve never had anything else of yours not work.

I had the same issue! It tastes delicious, but feels like raw dough even though it baked 32 min, was dark golden brown on top, & the tester came out clean.
In the deep freeze of Chicago, so no altitude here & used new baking soda.

I just wanted to report back that we have enjoyed this cake anyway, despite the unexpected texture. My downstairs neighbor walked our dog yesterday, and I left the cake on the counter for her to eat, and she reported back that she LOVED It and wanted the recipe! I will try again with a longer baking time, because we all are happy with the flavor.

Also: I should have led my first comment with, “Deb, you are my guru, and I rely on you every week to inspire and delight me. I regularly make your recipes, as in almost every meal or dessert I make is at least in part from your site and the cookbooks. Everyone I know is aware that I’m a devoted fan. Thank you, thank you for all that you do!”

I think I’ve only ever made one other comment on the site, which was also when I had a fail (at first, but then I tried again!), so I regret that again I chimed in to tell you there was a problem, instead of reporting back all the many, many successes you have provided me.

I also had the same issue. I don’t live at a high altitude, but I did use a loaf pan instead of a round pan. I baked it slightly over 30 minutes because it seemed to still be ‘jiggly’ in the center. I tested it three times and my cake tester came out as clean as a whistle, and the top of the cake was a rich golden brown. Took it out of the oven and let it cool in the pan before releasing it to cool on a cake rack. I left home and when I came back later it was totally raw and sunken in the center. Still glazed it and ate it though, so it tastes just delightful!
I’m wondering if the weight measurements are off? I used a scale to measure everything as I was too lazy to do the extra dishes involved in using measuring cups. If not that, perhaps because of the use of coconut oil you get a false clean on the cake tester? I’m going to try it again and sub some of the flour out for something drier like a bit of coconut flour.

Mine came out if the oven and sank. I used melted (liquified) coconut oil, and used the gram measurement. When mixing the batter, it was pretty tough going; went into the pan like a biscuit dough. I put this down to the oil resolidifying, but who knows. Like so many others have said, it’s the first time a SK recipe has not been successful for me. But, it’s prolly me, not the recipe!

Mine was the same. I left it in the oven for 35 minutes, skewer came out clean, it had risen beautifully but sank in the middle while cooling. When I eventually cut into it the middle it was very doughy – I have two extremely disappointed neighbors who were waiting for a slice. I assumed it was my fault because I added dried coconut to try and give it more flavor and texture but it appears from all the other comments that it wasn’t the issue. You win some, you lose some.

I had the same issue–I doubled the recipe and baked two 9-inch rounds, and one turned out perfect and the other just never set in the middle, despite a tester coming out clean after 30 minutes. Both pans were aluminum, and I switched oven racks at the 15-minute mark.

Because we all liked the taste, and because I can’t believe the uneven results I’m reading, I tried again. I incorporated advice from many of you. I used the weight measurements (even though this was more oil than 1/2 cup). I used Trader Joe’s Coconut Milk (last time I used the Whole Foods 365 Brand). I used a new bag of baking soda. I was careful to whisk the vinegar in at the end and get it promptly into the oven. I used an instant read thermometer to measure the temperature (in addition to waiting for the nice rise/color). Mine rose nicely, and I was so very hopeful. Temp measured 205 at 30 minutes. I took it out, and it fell a bit, but still looked overall pretty good. Cut into it, and the edges look almost just like Deb’s. Wow, totally different than my first one. BUT…the center is still doughy. We ate it anyway. Took these notes. And we are going to try again, darn it.

I made this cake. It came out of the oven looking exactly like Deb’s. Tester clean. Let it cool. Top sunk in the middle, beautiful finish cracked. It does not feel totally cool around sunken in crack so I’ll wait but it looks liquidy. I think it’s my sugar bi used Whole Foods organic sugar which is coarser than normal. I usually run it through my Bullet to make it finer. I forgot this time. It tastes great though. I will make it again.

The texture of this cake is plush indeed! Mine required 40 minutes at 350 for a tester to come out clean. I added 1 tsp Fiori di Sicilia (citrusty-vanilla extract from King Arthur Flour) which gave the cake a nice flavor. It would be a bit bland without it, as some other commenters have noted. I expected a much bigger coconut flavor. For that reason, don’t skip the glaze! The finished product is tasty, plush and light. A perfect afternoon snacking cake.

The cake is nice and moist but is only slightly sweet and doesn’t have a very strong coconut flavor. I toasted 2 cups of coconut and put it on top of the cake and then drizzled on the glaze. That made it much better. Next time I make it, I might even add some sweetened coconut to the batter as well.

Is it normal for baking times with alternative fats to be a little longer? My oven runs pretty “normal” but I’m on minute 38 with a 9” pan right now… wondering if that’s likely because of the full-fat coconut milk.

I was happy to see this recipe since one if my children is dairy free right now. I made it exactly as written, except that I didn’t have enough virgin coconut oil so I had to also use some refined. And my one complaint, that the cake had very little coconut flavor, may be due to that substitution. (I did make the coconut milk/sugar glaze.) Otherwise, it’s a great cake. Good rise, nice crumb, pleasant flavor without being overly sweet. Thanks, Deb! Now I need to try the cocoa powder/olive oil cake.

Just tested this one! Delicious flavor–not too sweet and certainly not overly coconut-y (not that I’d mind that!). I had an 8-inch pan, not 9, and I think that was my only trouble. Baked for 45 solid minutes, maybe a few more, and still there is a spot in the middle that is undercooked. Deb, do you think that 1 inch makes all that much difference? And agree with previous comment–don’t skip the glaze. It really promotes the coconut!

Deb, thank you for all the beautiful recipes that you post! Some bloggers have really dropped off blogging over the last few years and I am SO happy you have not! I cook more of your recipes than anyone else, TRUTH!!! and I love reading your blog (confession, also have cookbook as well) All your recipes work! That is no small feat, as you well know!
So, thank you for hanging in there – love your blog!

But of course, do consider buying my books! I mean, if you’d like them. (I’m terrible at marketing, obviously. But I don’t do any sponsored content, have no plans to, ever, so I’m supported by book sales and site ads.)

we have both of your books; the most recent one is signed by you in Toronto! AND we keep on printing your wonderful blog recipes. We are about to attempt this cake…with Bob’s 1:1 GF flour. We’ll let you know if we run into problems. My daughter wants to do it layer style, but I didn’t see notes about that so I’ve convinced her to do it in a flower/scalloped shaped 9″ pan.

Jumped in with both feet and made this today. It. Is. Amazing. Next time I will bake for 5 or so mins longer then recommended, the center fell. Though that may be partly because I was in such a rush to take it out of the oven! I found it to be very sweet and the texture is sooo supple though it does not tase strongly of coconut to me.

I just updated the headnotes and recipe to clarify two things that are coming up in the comments:
1. The coconut flavor here is mild, subtle. It’s not an intense coconut cake by any means. I’m sorry if that was unclear; it was never my goal with this cake! If you’d like a more intense coconut cake, you can add coconut to the topping, you can try coconut extract, you might even try some coconut sugar instead of white (although I find its coconut flavor fairly distant, plus, it’s brown so the cake will look beige). I don’t want to give a blanket green light to adding shredded coconut to the batter because it can throw off other things, but a little might make this cake more coconut-y. A lot (if dried) can make it dry and heavier. A lot (if sweetened) might/could sink.

2. Mine was fully and completely baked at 25 minutes (my original estimate had been 30 to 35 minutes, and I reduced it to 25-30 because of this) and my oven runs cool, not hot, crazy enough. On both this and the other vegan cake on the site, the chocolate olive oil cake, the single biggest complaint in the comments is about baking times. Here’s what I suspect: these eggless cakes are far more variable than standard layer cakes, but I cannot tell you why, I’m not definitely not the Food Lab/Bravetart/BakeWise. All that matters is that your cake is set in the center; don’t take it out if it’s not.

That texture looks amazing! Something I’ve learned from Stella Parks is that different coconut oils taste more and less coconut-y. Refined coconut oil is more neutral tasting if people don’t want that coconut flavor. :)

Yet another great recipe! I just whipped this up and a) forgot the salt, whoops, and b) used butter instead of coco oil because it’s all I had on hand (sorry vegans). Next time, I think I will decrease the baking soda. I had a very slight metallic taste. So so good, nevertheless!
Thank you, Deb!

Beautiful recipe, thank you. This will become a standard in my kitchen. Made as directed, with the addition of a cup of blueberries folded into the batter as a final step before baking. It did take almost an hour in the oven, but rose perfectly. Cake is moist, has a delicate flavor, and is not overly sweet. Perfect for brunch or tea. Thanks, Deb!

I made this exactly as written (using gram measurements) with the glaze and I was underwhelmed with the result.
Despite baking for 35mins it was still quite undercooked. It was also too bland for my taste, although it did still all get eaten up by my friends.
I generally love your recipes Deb but this one is not for me.

Omg!!! This is so gooooood. I’m an amateur baker and every time I make your recipes it turns out perfectly. I put lime juice and zest in the icing and topped it with raspberries and blueberries. The family loved it too! Thank you ;)

I followed the recipe to a T and it rose beautifully. I took it out of the oven and cut into it – still raw in the middle.
Still tastes great, but not a very strong coconut flavor. I’ll toast coconut and put it on top next time I make it, and keep it in the oven longer

I’ve got a 14yo (not aged, just old) bottle of Brinley coffee rum. Like a cup. And I’ve been saving it. Why? For this. Been wanting to make a run cake, but this is gonna be just 👌. If you follow a recipe for rum cake, you reduce butter sugar and rum then poke holes in cake and drench that wench. Doing it here and now.

I’m not Deb (obviously), but sponge cakes are usually really good candidates for making gluten-free, since they depend for their rise and structure on egg instead of gluten.

There is also an absolutely *delectable* flourless chocolate sponge cake on this site: https://smittenkitchen.com/2007/03/the-best-chocolate-cake-expletive-free/ – its edges crinkle, which is adorable but not the most normal cake presentation. I’ve made it into a gluten-free wedding cake before; you just have to be really careful with it and do a crumb-coat before the final frosting (also: pick something to frost with that is tasty in quantity, like whipped ganache or a stabilized whipped cream).

That said:
1. there are gluten-free specific sites which can provide reliable gluten-free recipes using specific ingredients, or
2. there are cup-for-cup gluten-free flour blends that you can use in most cake recipes (but do a practice round before a special occasion in case your favorite recipe and the flour brand you buy don’t get along as well as expected).

I made this one tonight with King Arthur GF Measure for Measure flour, which is what I had on hand. It turned out great – tastes good and is very moist for a GF baked good, and didn’t fall apart taking it out of the springform pan I used. I always use a digital scale and weigh out my dry ingredients (and I much appreciate Deb for always including them). Flour blends can vary quite a bit in density, and weight is more consistent than cup measure.

I don’t know if this is the perfect GF cake you’re looking for, but it’s very straightforward and has a high chance of success, especially if you’re not used to GF baking.

I’ve made a very similar version of this cake and here’s an added grown up bonus: if you have coconut rum (like Malibu), brush the warm cake with a few tablespoons of the rum before hitting it with the glaze. Same with the chocolate version-brush it liberally with your favorite chocolate adjacent liqueur–Godiva, Khalua, Tia Maria, Frangelico….

I have a vegan friend and have been looking for a yummy dessert to make for her. This looks delicious! Have you tried adding packaged shredded coconut to it? Do you think that’s a good idea? Thanks, Deb!

I was so pumped to see another vegan cake recipe on SK that I made it the same day it was posted. And it did not disappoint! As with the Chocolate Olive Oil cake, this was very easy to throw together and the texture was wonderfully moist. I forgot to buy powdered sugar, so as I could not make icing, I made the ganache from the Olive Oil cake instead. It masked the coconut flavor, so I probably wouldn’t do it again, but it was certainly delicious.
The only thing I’d note here is that I had to bake this for closer to 35-ish minutes, but at that point the toothpick really did come out all the way dry and the sides weren’t overbaked or anything.
Thank you, Deb, for sharing vegan-friendly desserts that don’t come out tasting like cardboard!!

I made this cake twice, following the recipe exactly. I really wanted to love it but it was just ok. It was definitely cooked, but had a starchy taste/feel. Also I had a line of oil at the base of the cake both times which was a bit weird. This was not my first vegan cake, but first time with coconut oil in a cake – I have a feeling it’s the problem.

MAKE THE COCONUT BREAD ALREADY! Sorry for the all caps, but her coconut bread can be changed up in many ways (as per the comments to that recipe) and either changed up or as-written, it is a favorite I’ve made again and again. :)

Hi Deb! Sending so much love for the food you make and share with us! I’m totally going to be thaat person right now and ask if there is a way to healthify this for a snack cake for my kids for after school? Love the idea that it is simple and quick. Looking for white whole wheat flour and maybe honey? Is it worth me trying or should I just go face the corner now?

Plush is the exact word i’d use to describe this cake! It is so moist and delicious. I didn’t have coconut oil so replaced it 1:1 with unsalted butter. Flavor wasn’t super coconutty but that was ok with me. Baked closer to 35 min before the tester came out clean. I used the glaze and then topped with toasted coconut flakes. It was delicious! I defintely put too much glaze on as the center became a little soggy but I will just adjust next time. My cake rose beautifully but as others said, the bottom became a little dense as it sat on the counter. None of these things stopped me from eating two pieces and packing a third for my lunch the next day :). Thanks, Deb!

This is not about the recipe! But it looks great….I’m still a buttermilk Gal. My comment was about the two excellent bits you posted on the weekly email – one about ‘food’ and our obsession with it; the other about carbs/bread. Both articles were well worth checking out, and re: bread, I am going to shower, get dressed, and head to Terra Breads (I’m in Vancouver) which does really good bread. Also just started a ‘no knead’ which will not get baked for a few days turning it sourdough. So thanks for the inspiration. A warning though – immediately after the excellent NYT ‘carbs/bread’ video, there is a super alarming video about the apocalypse which might make your readers anxious. ;-)

My daughter and her chef boyfriend are coming for Burns Night on Saturday. I’ve bought a vegan haggis plus tatties and neeps, decided on Jane Grigson’s curried parsnip soup for the first course but I was wondering what to do for pudding. I think that this cake, with some tropical fruit, will do admirably. So thank you, once again.

I was so excited for this 6 (7 or 8) ingredient cake. I just moved and my kitchen is in a state of duress and unpacking has halted for now. I had all the ingredients for this beautiful cake. I used the gram weights for measurements. I added about half a teaspoon each of vanilla extract and coconut extract. I used part coconut sugar and part toasted sugar (Stella Parks from serious eats). The cake was much darker because of those changes. I also couldn’t find my cake pans, so I baked it in a 9.5 in glass pie pan. Baked well enough, although it took more than the 30 minutes as others have noted. It did taste fairly metallic to me though, so next time, I’d cut the baking soda down.

Yikes. Your narrative sounded like you actually tested this recipe, but this is not the first time I’ve tried one of your recipes and had a catastrophic fail. With this cake, I used exactly the ingredients, measured exactly, in exactly the dictated size cake pan, at exactly the temperature indicated, and about 3/4ths of the way through the bake time it started erupting “lava” all over my oven (which I had just cleaned last week, ugh). It kept erupting until about TWENTY MINUTES past the indicated bake time (the center remained steadfastly liquidy until then). The crusty stuff on the oven floor was dee-LISH, but holy crap what a mess. I’m serving what’s left of the cake tonight, I’m sure it’ll taste good, but it’s only half the volume intended and not exactly pretty to look at. So glad I tried it first. My best guess: delete the vinegar, maybe replace a little of the coconut milk with just a titch of yogurt instead. But not a recipe I’ll ever make for company if I need to use the oven afterwards.

I’m no scientist, but the erupting cake sounds like an amped up vinegar/baking soda interaction to me. Maybe something about the specific kind or brand of either of those ingredients, or a miscalculation in the amounts that were used? I read an article about the use of acidity in cakes, and learned that when in the order of things one adds the vinegar can impact the structure, lift, and browning of that cake, too. The chemistry of baking is fascinating.

I suspect this chemical reaction is also in play in the mystery of the sinking centers.

Altitude definitely is a possibility. I’m about 2000 feet above sea level in the mountains of Idaho. No worries about frustration — failures are how we learn — and I got a big fat reminder that well tested recipes such as yours still might not work for everybody. What hit me in this case wasn’t just that the cake fell, or wasn’t well received, etc., but that it just kept erupting and erupting. I used white vinegar, regular (not self rising) flour, full fat coconut milk, ordinary white sugar, ordinary baking soda, all measured out and put in the bowl in the order dictated, all used in other cake recipes. Thank you Deb and everyone else for your input. I love this site.

I made it as written, baked maybe 3 minutes extra, and added a cup of shredded dried coconut. Then topped with a delicious rum butter sugar caramel. Mine came out great.
I hear from your tone that you are frustrated, but snafus happen. Big deal. Scrub and cook on.

Erika, while it’s great that you acknowledge the frustration of not having the recipe come out as expected, your reply was a bit dismissive. Sometimes when you are excited for a recipe and have limited time/ingredients, it seems like wasted time when things don’t go very well. It’s great that your cake did work out! However, don’t use your experience to ignore others’ constructive criticism of a recipe.

The timing on this could not be better! I’ve been searching for a good coconut cake to use as the base for my dream birthday cake. Do you think this cake would stand up well to being stacked up to three layers and laced with lime mousse and passionfruit curd?

Made this in an 8-in square pan, measuring everything to the gram on a digital scale. After 30 minutes, knife came out clean but I left it in the oven with the heat off for 10 min for good measure.

Cake was fully cooked with a dense, plush crumb. The coconut flavor is very mild, even with the glaze and toasted coconut flakes sprinkled on top. Will consider using coconut sugar, coconut extract or lime zest in the future for more flavor.

Half of the people who tried it noted it was overly sweet, so I’d got for 1/2 to 3/4 cup of sugar the next go around.

That said, a very solid cake with a short ingredient list and minimal fuss!

made this…taste more like a corn bread (dense) then a cake and strangely smelled like corn.
I added vanilla and coconut extract and shredded coconut since ppl said didn’t have a strong coconut flavor. other then that I followed recipe exact (full fat coconut milk from can).
turned out good but I wouldn’t make if you are looking for a cake texture… and of course this is just my experience.

Nobody has reported back with results yet, but I bet if you use a good Cup4Cup-style baking flour mix, this cake should be more forgiving of the swap than others. That said, you won’t have eggs for structure lost by not having gluten. I’m sure someone will report back soon!

I thank you on behalf of my vegan daughter! I’m always looking for vegan treats I can make for her on her visits home, ones that don’t contain a lot of fake vegan versions of real stuff. This looks so good, like I’d even like it!

Disaster! My cake tastes like chemicals (this flavor has happened before with pizelles I made) and is slightly burnt because I had to wait so long for the center to finish – I’m so bummed 😭 what did I do wrong….?

Made this twice tonight! First time using what I had on hand and subbed in: olive oil, brown sugar, champagne/orange muscat vinegar, tsp-ish coconut flavor, light coconut milk. Baked for 30-35ish in a 9″ springform. Had the doughy center, flavor was delish, no glaze. Second time: “grassier” olive oil (I’m a rebel), 2/3c brown sugar, 1/3c coconut sugar, same vinegar, a little more coconut flavoring, regular coconut milk. Baked for 40 min. Looks a little darker in color than I wanted, but the doughy center is something I’m trying to avoid. Glazing and bringing to the office tomorrow! Will report back!

Long time listener, first-time caller.
I made this cake a couple of hours ago, and just had a slice.
It turned out really well- very moist, and not at all cloyingly sweet.
I ended up making a vegan ganache to pour over it, instead of the coconut glaze, but otherwise stuck to the original recipe.
I’m always on the lookout for a good pantry recipe, and this fits the bill. Will definitely make again.

This is so good, Deb! And so easy to make! I made mine with a mix of spelt, rice, and almond flour. I used half the amount of sugar and added a bit of cardamom. It needed 40 min in the oven (I’m not at altitude). It looks beautiful. For the glaze I used honey and added a drop of vanilla and orange essence. The texture and the flavour are delicious! I also want to say how much I appreciate your website, Deb, it has the best design and layout of any of the recipe websites I use.

Made mostly as written — except used an 8-inch square pan (couldn’t find my 9-inch round pan), and added both a dash of vanilla extract and a dash of coconut flavoring (it’s an extract/natural flavoring hybrid from a baking website). Baked it for between 30-35 minutes, and kept it on top of the oven for the first 10 minutes of cooling time. This is definitely a very subtle coconut flavor, but the texture of this cake is to die for. Plush is the right word. And, folks who complain that it’s “too dense,” it might just be that you’re not acquainted with vegan baked goods, which often are more dense in my experience. And while this is a tighter crumb, it still manages to be extremely soft and moist, not dry or heavy in the least!

The center ever so slightly sank during the cooling process, but who cares? It’s fully baked and the glaze hides the imperfections.

Next time I may experiment with some lemon or lime zest and juice, to get a more obvious flavor to go with this miraculous texture.

Made this twice :) First time as mentioned above. The second time I swapped the coconut oil for hazelnut oil, and the coconut milk for almond milk. Folded in some dark chocolate sprinkles and topped with a dark chocolate and rum glaze. Both cakes were absolutely delicious.

Concerning baking time: both cakes were done after 32 min in the oven at 175 Celsius.

I made this cake last night, and it was pretty moist and dense (but still delicious!), and took probably 45 minutes to bake. I read lots of comments, and it seems for some it works great, and many other are having it come out too dense. I have a theory! I think I took too much time between adding the wet ingredients and getting it in the oven. The baking soda and vinegar reaction produces air bubbles, right? So if the whole reaction happens, and you’re still stirring, all the air bubbles are broken, and there’s nothing left to make it rise as it’s sitting in the oven. I’m going to try this again soon, and stir for a short time and get it in the oven quickly. I’ll let you all know if it works!

I think that you are right. I added the baking soda(bicarb to us in the UK) after the other ingredients and I noticed how it began to bubble. I think that it is imperative to get the cake into the oven very quickly.
Incidentally, my cake was risen but a little wet at the bottom after 35 minutes. So I let it sit at a lower temperature for another 6 minutes and it looks perfect.

I made this cake this morning. Based on another comment, I added one teaspoon of vanilla extract and coconut extract. I thought the texture was lovely, but the cake was a bit bland. I added the glaze while the cake was still warm, which I would do again. I’d make it again but I’d like to add some lime zest or another flavoring.

Baking this cake as we speak and my my how delicious that batter is! I love how allergy friendly this is for my son who is allergic to dairy and eggs. Do you think this recipe could be used for cupcakes as well?

Hi Deb!
I can’t wait to make this cake! I’m not one to mess around with recipes before trying them once, but I’m considering using it as a base for some petit fours that I need to make for an event. The plan is to bake in a square pan, cut into two layers, and sandwich with something (maybe lemon curd?) before glazing. Do you think the texture will hold up? Too moist? Thanks so much!

This is my new go-to cake. So easy, moist and delicious. I used half coconut sugar and half granulated and made cupcakes in parchment papers because I wasn’t in the mood to prep a pan. I tried finishing a few with turbinado sugar, but prefer the coconut milk glaze. 5 star tasty!

Okay this is delicious. I added the zest of two limes and some juice, plus more lime juice in the glaze. I pulled it out of the oven at 30 minutes, put it back in for longer, and then forgot to set another timer; so I really have no idea how it baked for, but it had set up nicely by the time I remembered to check, and it’s just so good. The texture is…… “plush” is truly the word. Taking it to a work potluck tomorrow with a piece and a half already gone.

In reading the comments, I was a little nervous about the rise and underbaking that I ended up a smidge overdone at 40 min. The cake rose really nicely; I think the trick, as other, smarter people have called out, is to move quickly when adding the wet ingredients and getting it into the oven. I enjoyed the subtle coconut flavor (w glaze) and think it will go very well with a cup of coffee tomorrow afternoon… or morning.

I wonder if the variability of results is because there is such a difference in consistency between different brands of coconut milk? For example, I’ve noticed that Thai Kitchen brand full fat coconut is much thicker than other brands and the cream layer tends to separate. Regardless, I made this with a thinner, more homogenous type of coconut milk and it turned out perfectly. Unfortunately the can has gone to recycling heaven and I can’t remember the name. It’s true that it’s not super coconutty which is spot on for my family, but as others have mentioned there are a multitude of ways to ramp up the coconut flavour should you wish (e.g toasted coconut, coconut extract, malibu rum etc.)

Our 12-year old ate four slices!
Made it with the glaze in a Quiche Lorraine dish. Used Coconut butter instead of oil.
Worked well. We found it wasn’t all that coconutty but I will
make this excellent cake again. Many times!

I’ve made this twice now, it’s so good! The first time I subbed apple cider vinegar and there’s no noticeable difference between the two. It did take 35 minutes in my oven both times but maybe my oven is a bit cool?? (I haven’t taken her temperature in a while.)

I made this, and was very impressed. Never would have guessed, it is vegan, judging from the taste. My test eaters (kids and adults) all liked it very much. I used rasperry vinegar, other than that I followed the exact recipe.
It took 45 min. in my oven and rose nicely.
Thanks!

I made this 5 min after it was posted on Facebook. I used vegetable oil instead of coconut oil. Result: plush and moist, love the texture. Baked in an 8-in round cake pan so it took about an hour – I do have a convection oven so it helped with even cooking. Taste: just coconut-y enough (I used full fat Thai coconut milk), sweetness was perfect because I made a brown sugar glaze using the rest of the coconut milk. The one thing I did not like was the oily aftertaste – I assume this is because of the vegetable oil, so I’ll try as written with coconut oil next time, or possibly butter if that still doesn’t do it. I have to say though: everyone else LOVED it. My friend asked for a quarter of the cake to bring home with her. My husband, who usually is not a huge cake fan, gobbled it up and asked for more. I don’t get it, but I’ll take it :) Thanks for the recipe!

I made this tonight and really liked it! I made a 1/2 recipe, in a 6″ cake pan. I added lime zest to the sugar, and a small splash of coconut extract to the batter. I brushed coconut liqueur over the top, glazed it, and then added toasted unsweetened coconut to the top. My husband, a big coconut fan, especially enjoyed it.

I’m at high altitude–5000 feet–so I made high-altitude alterations: I added about 1 Tbs. of coconut milk to the batter; I reduced the baking soda by 25%; I reduced the sugar by 10%; and I baked it at 360 degrees. I don’t know quite how long I baked it for, but when I took it out, it was evenly golden brown and domed slightly on top; it bounced back in the center when I touched it.

Has anybody doubled it and baked in a 9×13 pan? Did it work out? If not, does anybody suspect it would be okay or a fail? Hoping to make it for a ladies night and think have more is always best :) Thanks!

Woah! Crisp. Loved your recipe. Thanks a lot for sharing. Internet is full of content and it’s very rare that you get the ones you actually intend to get. I being a foodie started Friends of Pho and the journey so far has been full of excitement. Thanks a lot for inspiring people like us.

How timely this recipe is for me! I just arrived at my vacation house in the Bahamas and immediately found a coconut so I could add some fresh coconut to the cake batter. YUM! Love this. So easy, so moist, not too sweet. I will be making this again. I also bought some bananas to make your banana/chocolate marble bread when the coconut cake is gone.

Truly loved this! After reading comments, I upped the flavor with 1/4 tsp of almond extract (kind of like an almond joy?) and increased the cooking time by 5-10 minutes…always test your cake because every oven is different! SK’s olive oil chocolate cake always requires more time in my oven too. I don’t think the coconut glaze is optional and also think the cake is far superior topped with toasted coconut flakes. There are a lot of other directions you could take it. Come to think of it, in the almond joy vein, you could top it with he chocolate glaze from the olive oil chocolate cake and then top it with the coconut flakes….oh no, I have to make it again. Oh, also…maybe even better on day two, still good on day 3:)

I made this for my department lunch, but instead of the glaze listed I made a quick lime glaze. My co-workers (and I) loved the cake. Not too sweet, very soft crumb, and the lime glaze gave it a nice bite. I didn’t weigh my ingredients, just used the measurements as listed and I think the cake took about 38-39 minutes in the oven. After reading some comments I was a little nervous, but the cake turned out perfect. Thanks for this easy and delicious recipe. You’re my favorite!

I baked this early in the morning (before coffee!), then glazed it after work and let my daughter go crazy with all my white/silver sprinkles. I made it exactly as written, using light coconut milk. Mine baked for exactly 25 minutes and it turned out perfect.

Saved this recipe from your post on Instagram because of the coconut aspect, and now that I’ve read the full recipe, I’m excited to find that it’s a version of wacky cake! My husband’s family make wacky cakes as their usual birthday cake, and my husband LOVES coconut—this is going on the celebration menu this year.

Mine took a full 50 minutes to cook at 375° (my oven bakes a little cool so I always up by 25°). Was nicely golden and risen but had sunk dramatically by the time it was cool. Texture very dense and claggy. Taste was ok but texture inedible sadly.

Thanks for your comment… but I had to look up the meaning of “claggy”! According to Google: DIALECT•BRITISH tending to form clots; sticky.
“claggy mud”

What a great word! But not what you want in a cake. After reading about all the “fails” (including yours), I decided not to chance it and followed the advice of another reader, along the lines of “Bake the [SmittenKitchen] coconut BREAD already!” I’ve done so, and will submit my report at the end of the evening. (It’s wrapped up and ready to go to a friend’s for dessert.)

I failed making this in every way possible. I have no idea what I did, but it’s been in the oven for an hour and it’s still raw in the middle. I’m looking at your beautiful pictures and they are mocking me, while my hunchback raw in the middle cake yells at me from the kitchen.

I just made the cake in a 9 inch springform pan. It came out perfect, but yes: I cooked it much longer than 30 minutes. I’m glad I used coconut oil since the coconut taste is very mild (but perfectly so). I usually mix in whole wheat type flours, but for this cake I only substituted a bit of the white for spelt and barley and a tiny bit of buckwheat. It came out great. Thank you for a fun recipe.

I love smitten kitchen and have made so many recipes from here over the years. Deb’s recipes are basically bulletproof…but this cake was a huge disappointment. It turned out to have the taste and texture of an oily sponge; we couldn’t eat it. I am now making the jacked-up banana bread (extra jack) to console myself.

After reading the comments, I baked this longer than I would have otherwise. I thought I might have overbaked it, since it was a really deep golden brown (darker than in the pictures) but it turned out perfectly on the inside. I used 10g less of the coconut oil because that’s what I had after scraping out the jar and that was fine. It has a beautiful texture and a lovely, relatively mild coconut flavour. I cut down the sugar by about 75g due to personal preference, but I did add the glaze, which made it quite sweet. It was delicious with a dollop of plain yoghurt. I would definitely make this again, and maybe even add a little cinnamon to complement the coconut.

Mine baked in 25 minutes but barely rose and ended up flat, yet tasted wonderful. The glaze came out very runny and soaked into the cake, which overall reminded me of ‘basbusa’ (a delicious Middle Eastern semolina cake).

This recipe made 12 nicely domed cupcakes. I baked them for 19 minutes (which was probably 2 minutes too long, but they were raw at 14 minutes) and they’re soft and plush with a bit of a firm top. Made as written except for I added some almond extract. I made a glaze with key lime juice, coconut milk and powdered sugar, a great vegan option!

Like others mine didn’t turn out very well. I used full fat coconut milk and virgin coconut oil. The batter was VERY thick, definitely more like a biscuit dough and it rose about half as much as Deb’s picture. The texture was nice, but the flavor was a little bland and very metallic. I made the glaze and sprinkled with toasted coconut which salvaged it a bit but not much. The leftovers are sitting sadly neglected on my counter-even my 2 and a half year old, who has never met a sweet she didn’t like-didn’t finish her slice-sad!
Like others, I will try with less baking soda/bicarb and maybe low-fat coconut milk so it is a bit more runny. I also *barely* liquefied the coconut oil, so I would hear it more next time so it is more fully liquid. I was so excited about this cake because I absolutely LOVE the chocolate olive oil cake. Definitely not a hit on the first try, but I will try again. Thanks, as always, for all of your wonderful recipes Deb!

I made this yesterday. It took around 43 minutes in my oven (I checked it at 30 and 35). It is mildly coconut-y, just enough that my husband said “what’s in this?” I think it tastes even better today. I loved that I had everything for it in my pantry.

Mine came out delicious & fluffy! About the doughiness…I added the vinegar at the very end and stuck it in the oven immediately so that the reaction of the baking soda + vinegar = rise would occur while baking. I found my bake time closer to 40 minutes but we have a crappy oven. In the past I’ve made vegan cakes and I’ve found that it’s important to work quickly & have my oven preheated and ready to go. Hope this is helpful!

I just made this with a couple substitutions to accommodate my pantry – canola oil instead of coconut oil and apple cider vinegar instead of white vinegar – and I love it. I think that the coconut flavor is really only derived from the coconut milk and oil, so it is really mild.

Mine just had kind of a soft coconut tang, probably because I used canola, and it was nice but very subtle. This is a fantastic snacking cake – soft but holds together well. I think it’ll fare well refrigerated too. The glaze is a bit sweet for me on its own but works beautifully with the soft cake and gives it more of a coconut flavor.

Made this using the recipe to the letter and it was totally delicious! I worked very fast after combining wet and dry ingredients to get it in the oven quick, and it rose beautifully. Highly recommend!

Delicious! Moist, light, delicate crumb, we loved it. Very mild coconut flavor which is perfect because I’m the only coconut lover in my household. I followed the directions exactly. I didn’t time the cake but baked it until a toothpick came out clean (the edges of the cake were golden). I made a chocolate glaze instead because my family thinks nothing counts as dessert unless it has chocolate. Sprinkled with coconut flakes. Definitely a keeper – love that everything I needed was in my pantry.

I made this tonight – I used a 9 inch loaf pan, as I could not find my round pan, so it took quite a bit longer to bake, but it was worth the wait! It was nice and crisp on the outside and very plush on the inside. I had never made a vegan cake before, but I would definitely make this again! I think in the future I would add a splash of vanilla.

I am a huge fan of Deb’s chocolate version of this cake, so I wanted to give this a try. It is a lovely, versatile white cake. I used some tips I learned from baking the chocolate cake more times than I can count – cut baking soda to 1tsp, reduced sugar to 170 grams, and added a bit of vanilla extract. This might be my new go-to white cake. Also, highly recommend thermometers for those who felt their cakes were underdone — if you wait until the cake is 165 in the center, you’ll be all set (I split mine into 2 9 inch rounds to make a layer cake with raspberry jam and chocolate ganache, and they needed close to 30 minutes in the oven, that is, much longer than the chocolate version). I skipped the glaze to make it into a layer cake but would recommend a coconut frosting of sorts, or adding some dried coconut to the batter if you want a stronger coconut flavor. Thank you!

I made this cake yesterday and followed the advice to cook it until 165. I tested it in 2 spots (hit 167) and it was still runny and undercooked when we cut into it. It baked for 35 minutes and the edges were nicely tanned, almost brown, so I thought it was done.

The icing was delicious, I added a dash of coconut extract. I’m inspired to try and find another simple coconut cake recipe here to brighten up winter.

I made it. I didn’t love it. It baked up fine, and the texture was great, but the flavour felt like there was something missing, maybe if I added some extract or something to round it out.

My husband was like “It’s vegan isn’t it….” (with a sad face) after having a taste, so maybe not one to make again. It was however great for making with my little as I could let her lick the whisk after making it as food poisoning not so much of an issue with an egg-free cake!

What brand of coconut milk and what brand of flour did you use? My cake came out doughy, oily, and not very coconut-y, and I’m wondering if it’s because of 1) the coconut milk having a different oil content/less fresh flavor than what you used and/or 2) using Gold Medal flour, which I think has less protein (less gluten?) than King Arthur, for example. I love these ‘crazy cakes’ and would love to get this one to work!

Mine did take longer as others have noted, more like 35 minutes, but then was fully baked. It did sink in the middle, which was sad because I loved the rounded top of the one in the photo. Definitely not much coconut flavor, even though I mixed some unsweetened coconut flakes into the batter to try to give it a little boost. I sprinkled more on top. It’s definitely very moist! If I make it again, it will be with something more to boost the flavor… extract or maybe something like lavender?

I loved how easy this cake was to throw together. The tester came out clean after about 30 minutes but once the cake cooled I was underwhelmed by the crumb—it was really dense and claggy and hard to swallow without a glass of milk. But amazingly on day two, the crumb had evened out and it was a delicious cake! Definitely plush and soft, and perfect with raspberry sauce on top.

I made this last night. The texture was almost the same as the chocolate crazy cake (I used half coconut oil and half veg oil because I ran out of coconut, added a splash of vanilla extra, and used full fat coconut milk. I was completely underwhelmed by the flavor, unfortunately. I debated putting glaze and coconut chips on it, but I might do a chocolate glaze instead. Bummer, but I am debating adding coconut to the batter on a second try.

Deb, I am a big fan of yours. I am inspired by everything you do.
I just made your plush coconut cake. I love the easy recipe . The cake was adorable and moist, but not much flavor. I think an addition of vanilla, almomd extract and sweetened coconut to the batter would be an improvement. What do you think ? PA

I made this today to combat the -28 degree weather (-49 windchill!). It turned out beautifully. I did adapt to use 1 tsp baking soda instead and added lemon juice and zest to the glaze (because I had a sad lemon that was on the edge of heading towards the compost bin). I used an 8 inch square glass cake pan and it took about 45 minutes. I would describe it as being almost pound cake like texture.

Fantastic! Thank you. I’ve been looking for a springy vegan yellow cake for so long. Best by a mile. (Big fan of your chocolate olive oil cake.) I made cupcakes—recipe made 11 (oddly enough) at about 25 minutes in my oven. I did add vanilla (1 tsp), as several suggested, as well as a bit to the glaze. Topped with flaked sweetened coconut. A+

LOVE this cake – thanks, Deb…I have a love/hate relationship with Coconut Milk…long story…but after immersion blending it a bit, it was fine when I whisked it in with the rest of the ingredients…didn’t have any left over for the glaze(which may be why I had to cook the cake 5 extra minutes!)…so instead for the glaze, I used part lemon juice (had already some squeezed) and some water so that it wasn’t too strong. Light and a bit citrus-y, not too strong. Then toasted Trader Joe organic unsweetened flaked coconut to sprinkle on top. The cake was divine – my husband and daughter tried to find the right description of the texture of the cake – somewhere between cake and macaroon! A keeper and delicious. (PS – had workmen in the house while it was baking and they kept asking what was in the oven!! – they are back today and will get a sample, which they are very happy about!).

I had the same problem with the center sinking. I baked it 30 minutes, the toothpick came out clean, and it felt like the center was springing back when I pushed it gently. But as it cooled it collapsed. Nevertheless, I glazed it and sprinkled it with some coconut powder (very finely grated unsweetened coconut) that I bought at the Asian grocery. I served it with fresh berries. It was a bit heavy but we all liked it. Sometimes simple cakes are the best.

I <3 this cake!!! I made it as above about a week ago. My husband ate the whole thing in 2 days and promptly requested another. Last night I had a friend for dinner who has a coconut allergy, and I was out of sugar! I replaced the sugar with 3/4 cup of honey, the coconut oil with olive oil, the coconut milk with almond, and added a splash of orange blossom water and some orange zest to the batter. The glaze was icing sugar with a tablespoon of fresh oj. The batter was very thin and the bake time was a good 15-minutes longer. The cake got quite dark too so I was a bit worried. But it turned out so light, fluffy, moist…delicious! This has now become my go-to cake recipe. Thanks.

Sadly, this recipe was a flop for me. I measured out all ingredients, baked for 40 mins until edges were golden but ended up with a gummy/oily texture that made the cake inedible. Loved the concept and seems to work out for some, but mine ended up in the compost bin. You can’t win ’em all!

I made this and it was perfect and delicious! I even made it gluten free (using King Arthur 1 to 1) and it was just lovely, nice plush texture and so moist. One thing I did was mix everything together except the vinegar- I folded that in very last until just incorporated and the immediately poured it into the pans. Used two 6 inch rounds for a wee layer cake. Baked them for about 35 minutes. I will definitely be making this again. Thanks, Deb!

I had all sorts of coconut old and young and many different types of coconut cake, however, I have not tested such cake. In my childhood we did not had electronic blender but a very effective tool to get the coconut out of hard shell. I wish someday I will have one like this.

It was divine and lovely to have a cake to put together on a moment’s notice. I had similar issues as many (sunken center, slightly doughy texture toward the middle). We loved it and devoured it. Took the fabulous suggestion to make chocolate ganache with the remaining bit of coconut milk, spread thinly all the way to the edges. I topped it with some whipped cream (1/2 c cream whipped with 2 TB powdered sugar and a couple of drops of almond extract) and dolloped it in the middle, disguising the sunken middle. It hasn’t been mentioned yet- could the sinking/raw issue be at all due to how well shaken the coconut milk is? I shook mine pretty well (heated for a few minutes in the oven first, thanks to the commenters), but there were still a couple of globs on the bottom. Could it be that it might have been just separated enough to make it not set up right? Also, I wondered if the temperature of the coconut oil (and coconut milk?) was too warm when I added it- could that have influenced the texture? As is, I adored eating it and would have had thirds if we had not had company around the table.

I made this cake to take to work and everyone really enjoyed it. The texture is great. It’s moist and firm with just a bit of give…somehow plush is a good adjective for it. Sweetness is spot on too. There’s enough to taste like a dessert without being overkill.
However, the coconut flavor is VERY subtle. I can only detect it because I know it’s supposed to be a coconut cake. I made the batter with coconut milk and coconut oil but it’s just not enough to come through. I think the cake would work even better with a little extract added to make it into a vanilla or almond cake instead of barely-there coconut.

Get ready folks….. I think I nailed it!
1.) I liquefied the coconut oil and emulsified the coconut milk by putting the jar/cans in a pot of simmering water on the stove for a few minutes.
2.) I doubled the recipe, used Trader Joe’s Organic Coconut Milk, and added unsweetened shredded coconut to the batter.
3.) I baked the cake in a buttered and floured BUNDT pan for 50 minutes at 350 degrees on convection mode.
4.) I added lime juice and zest to the glaze. (game-changer)
5.) I sprinkled toasted unsweetened coconut over the top.
And voila! A superbly moist cake: not too dense or gooey; slightly sweet but not sickly. (If you like a sweeter cake, add sweetened coconut to the batter.)
BOOM! :)

Hi Deb! I don’t know for sure yet, but I think I know why this might not be turning out. Mine is still in the oven, but I’m guessing it’s going to sink in middle like some others’ have done.

I think the problem is the amount of batter. My favorite vegan chocolate cake has almost the exact same proportions, same sugar, flour and oil….. But it makes TWO 9 inch rounds, not one. I’m kicking myself that I didn’t realize this sooner and make mine in two, but I’m going to try again (I know, having cake around again will be torture!!) and test it out. I can tell you that this one smells amazing! It’s for my birthday, and my husband made it (with help), we’re putting vegan chocolate ganache, toasted almonds and those yummy coconut chips on top ala almond Joy. Even if it’s not perfect I know it’s going to taste great.

Update: this cake is SO good!! It did take longer to bake, but it didn’t sink at all. Because we were nervous about it being underdone/sinking, we just left it in over after about 45 minutes and turned over off. That, by crazy luck, was perfect. Nicely domed top, crunchy actually, like a cookie, in a really good way. The taste is mild, just sweet enough. I think we’ll add a bit of vanilla next time. It’s several days old by now and just tastes better every day. We frosted with coconut milk dark chocolate ganache, and added Dang coconut chips. Will definitely make again, just like we did this time. (Perhaps irrelevent, but we’re just shy of 5000ft)

I’ve made this twice now, and while both times it’s been delicious, the second iteration was vastly improved in flavor and texture by the necessity of using 100g of dark brown sugar when I ran out of granulated. Also baked the second cake for a solid 40-45 minutes, which I think further contributed to the improved texture.

I made this and it was decent! Mine came out a little bit sweet/rich for me (to be clear, I liked it! But I would find myself snacking on a piece and then needing milk to wash it down, and then I would repeat the whole process a few minutes later).

It didn’t cave in the center, but it did sink a little bit all over after I took it out of the oven – it seemed reasonably set (a tester came out clean), but maybe it could’ve used a couple more minutes? The crumb was a little bit dense and fairly rich/moist, kind of like a pound cake. I made a glaze by melting dark brown sugar (~1/2 cup) with the remaining coconut cream; it did not win any beauty contests but tasted good.

Serving suggestion for anyone who might be reading: I had one slice with a blueberry compote (aka frozen blueberries microwaved until bubbling with a little bit of added sugar) and that was delicious!

In case it wasn’t clear, I think that if I made this again, I would make it pretty much the same way, but err on the side of doneness (my cake was so moist that I have a hard time believing that another minute or two would have dried it out!) to see if that helped it keep its height.

Delicious! Made this last week in the midst of the polar vortex. Failed to ask hubby if he liked coconut, but he has eaten most of the cake, so I take that as a yes! Not too sweet, so a perfect snack or finish to a meal without feeling weighted down. Love that it is vegan for my friends who are vegetarian/vegan inclined.

Hi all – I’ve made my cake and it seemingly worked out well! As I contemplate my next steps (glaze and whatnot), I’m reading through the comments. Perhaps the folks who still have a runny batter after a half hour are using Coconut milk from those aseptic cartons (like almond milk), rather than the canned almond milk from the Asian aisle? Something to consider. In any case, my cake is amazing looking after 40 minutes in the convection oven. No drooping at all. Cooked all the way thru. Will report back after having a slice :) Have a good night!

Final report: OK, so the batter was thicker than cake batter, but still spoonable. It rose nicely, and I had no drooping issues as it cooled. I brushed on some Malibu rum and made the coconut milk glaze. Even with these additions there was no noticeable coconut flavor, however it was moist. Actually, the flavor and texture (with the rum and glaze) reminded me of a pancake(!). Not a big fan of pancakes, so this wasn’t my favorite. But if you are a fan, and are able to get the results I did, you’ll probably like this :) Super easy recipe though.

Yay, cake! Double yay, vegan cake! I made this almost exactly as indicated, adding only about a tsp of vanilla each to the batter and glaze (and some sprinkles on top for cuteness). As previous commenters suggested, I made sure to get it into the oven immediately after mixing the wet and dry ingredients. It was good to go at about 35 minutes: nice and golden, and the center didn’t sink. My husband and I both really enjoyed it, and I’m looking forward to having a chilled slice with my coffee tomorrow morning. Thanks, Deb!

I lack cake making experience here and forgive me for asking. Is making a glaze and frosting the same? I want to make the cake double layer and frost the middle and top before covering the cake with a vegan fondant. ( 1st birthday cake for my 1 yo :) ).

Glaze and frosting are not the same. Glaze is thinner, runs down sides. Frosting is thick enough to spread. I’m not sure what you use under fondant, but if directions say frosting, this glaze wouldn’t be the same. Happy birthday to your baby!

I loved this! Subtle flavor (like snacking cakes usually are, in my opinion) but awesome texture. That’s what I loved about it. Mine baked up fine in 30 mins, in Boston in a rental (aka subpar stove). This is a great base cake recipe to build on–I saw someone recommend mini choco chips. Yes! Or vanilla. Lime. Rum. I think lemon would be nice, too. Dulce de leche as frosting instead? Raspberries dotted in there? So many fun ways to get creative with this cake.

I’m using this as a base for a mostly-vegan friend’s birthday cake and I just did a test run with goji berries, lime zest, and shredded coconut and I wish it were her birthday now because I need somebody to take it away from me immediately–it’s too good! I swapped out the coconut oil for vegetable oil because, well, I’m on a budget, but I would love to see how it enhances the coconut flavor next time I make it.

I made this exactly as written and it was a great success! I had seen some comments from people who had trouble with the recipe, so I was extra careful when baking, letting it get to a beautiful golden brown color. The texture was perfect and really moist. The idea of using coconut milk in the icing is so delicious, can’t believe I never thought of doing that!

i made this last night with a few minor changes and it turned out p e r f e c t l y!
i misplaced my baking soda so I quadrupled (!!!) the called for amount with baking powder which seemed high, but i do what google tells me to. i also cut the sugar by 1/4 and it was the perfect sweetness for me.
it baked for roughly 45 mins, and was perfectly baked, no doming or gooiness in the middle. honestly it was probably the best looking cake i’ve ever baked. would make again!

I made this cake twice this week & both turned out great! Followed the recipe exactly with the exception of some added vanilla extract (my coconut oil is refined so it does not have much coconut flavor). Used brand new baking soda and 9 inch cake pan and baked for about 40 minutes until center was set. Drops a little after it cools but made for a great birthday cake this week with some added sprinkles in the batter. Great simple recipe – thank you!

I made this and it was great. For me the coconut taste was quite faint though more vanilla. I also put freeze dried raspberries on top with the icing. It fascinates me how coconut milk and oil can provide such a lush texture.

Excellent cake and very easy to make. I was 1/4 cup shy of the coconut milk needed for the recipe so I added heavy cream. Worked perfectly. Will definitely make this again, It’s incredibly moist and I love how it’s mixed by hand in a single bowl.

I’ve made this twice now, including on St. Valentine’s Day (with a variation your ‘bodega-style egg and cheese sandwich’ for Valentine’s Day dinner), and just wanted to say thank you. It’s so easy and so delicious, and the perfect way to impress my vegan NYC hipster classmates without trying. I added in some shredded coconut to the base and icing, and it couldn’t have turned out more perfect.